Katherine Heigl Joins ‘Suits’ Season 8 As Series Regular
Actress Katherine Heigl is looking to fill the void left by departing star and soon-to-be princess Meghan Markle as she joins the cast of Suits.
Swapping scrubs for formals as she joins as a series regular in the upcoming eighth season, Heigl is rumored to be part of a new male-female dynamic on the show, replacing the bromance that's always been at its heart.
Heigl's biggest role to date is in the Emmy-winning Grey's Anatomy. She most recently appeared in CBS courtroom drama Doubtas well as on the NBC's State of Affairs.
"On behalf of the entire Suits team, I am extraordinarily excited to welcome Katherine Heigl into our family - I have always been a big fan of her work and was delighted to discover she was an avid Suits fan herself," Adam Korsh said, in relation to adding Heigl to the team.
Suits Season 8 Cast
Heigl is slated to play Samantha Wheeler, a talented new partner at Pearson Specter Litt, who challenges conformity and could either be a dear friend or a dangerous enemy.
USA Network recently renewed the show for an eighth season. It simultaneously confirmed the exits of original cast members Markle and Patrick J. Adams following the conclusion of Season 7.
Other original cast members including Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty, and Rick Hoffman will all return alongside Dulé Hill, who will be a series regular following a recurring role on the current season.
The Future Of Suits
Season 7 is due to finish up with a two-hour finale on April 25, during which, the show will say goodbye to both Markle's and Adams' characters. Markle's character will get married to Adams' just a few weeks before her real-life wedding to Prince Harry.
"Mike Ross has taught me a lot about commitment, hard work and the power of believing in yourself and I feel blessed that now we both get to walk out into the lives that we never dreamed we would actually be lucky enough to live," Adams said of his character.
Korsh said he'd be open to Adams returning at a later stage and hasn't closed the door on Mike Ross just yet. As for where season eight will take the show, Korsh provided a few tantalizing details.
"Season 8 will have everything from shifting alliances and internal power plays, to secrets, betrayals and fiery relationships," he said. "Keep an eye out for an adversarial new character that will give Harvey a run for his money."
Suits began as a buddy show surrounding Harvey and Mike, evolving since into a legal ensemble and one of USA Network's biggest hits, as well as its longest-running drama series. The eighth season begins shooting in Toronto in April.
